Wanna learn to code in 2020? Start Here!

Over the years, I’ve guided quite some people, both young and old, who for some reason or the other, decided to learn to code. This is a summary of what I usually tell them; hopefully, this comes in handy to help you or someone you know, make that decision the right way.

DONT GET CAUGHT IN THE HYPE
There’s so much noise these days about everyone learning to code, and a lot of this is probably due to the huge amount of impact we see tech companies make.

Then there’s the idea that everyone who can code would have a lot of money; because of the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and many software developers who have a lot of money from building something “popular”.

Remember doing math in school? Did everyone who did well at math eventually become a Mathematician or Engineer? Furthermore, does everyone who studied engineering end up starting another Tesla?
This leads to the next point…

WHY DO YOU WANT TO LEARN TO CODE?
Some of the most re-occurring reasons I hear include

• I need to make some quick money
• I hear everyone should know how to code
• It seems interesting to me
• I just think it's a good skill to have
• I have an idea I want to make happen

The list goes on, but in my opinion, it's safer to not base your decision on either of the top 2 aforementioned reasons alone.

CODING DOES NOT GUARANTY YOU QUICK MONEY!

I started writing code at age 12 and got my first paying gig at 17/18, think about it, 5years of continuous learning and experimentation. This isn't to say I didn't get any actual projects to work on; as I actually did do lots of pro-bono projects here and there. So it’s important you get your expectations right to avoid being disappointed.

WHAT DEVICE DO YOU NEED TO START CODING?
I’ve often been asked what kind of device is needed to get started and it turns out, a lot of folks have this idea that you need to have a super-computer or one of those shiny looking MacBook pros portrayed on media.

Well, you don't.

Any basic PC with decent RAM( say 2–4Gb at the least) that can run any operating system of your choice and Chrome is enough to start. So don't go spending your savings on a fancy gadget just yet!

FREE RESOURCES YOU CAN START WITH

• freecodecamp.org
  They provide you with a detailed curriculum that comes with practical exercises that ensure you get your hands dirty as you progress.
• codecademy.com
  Codecademy is an online interactive platform that offers free coding classes in 12 different programming languages, similar to freecodecamp in some ways.
• w3schools.org
  This is the place for you if you’re the kind who likes to dive head-in without much preamble. The materials here go straight to the point with short descriptions and examples you can copy and try out.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE YOU TO FINISH LEARNING?

Some 3 to 6 months.

WRONG!

There’s no rule to this as It totally depends on you. Your level of determination of active commitment coupled with your inherent cognitive and problem-solving skills are major factors. Of course, being in a community, having mentors and using the right materials also contribute immensely to learning faster.

But remember, the learning never stops.

WHAT PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE SHOULD YOU LEARN FIRST?
I usually advocate going from the simplest to the hardest, and judging by the current trends, I would say start with HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

HTML /CSS may not be actual programming languages, but being able to develop webpages is by far the easiest way to get into the game.

HOW CAN YOU START RIGHT NOW?

Pretty Simple

• download a simple code editor like sublime text or atom
• visit any of the previously mentioned resources (some don’t require you to download an editor anyways)

I honestly hope you were able to benefit something from this and that you would share it with any of your contacts who you think could benefit too.

I would be glad to have comments or contrary opinions.

Thanks for reading.